Drapery hook applier



Nov. 3, 1959 B. FISH DRAPERY HOOK APPLIER Filed Feb. 18, 1957 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent DRAPERY HOOK APPLIER Benjamin Fish, Los Angeles, Calif. Application February 18, 1957, Serial No. 640,685

6 Claims. (Cl. 1-47) This invention relates to a tool or instrument for applying drapery hooks to the upper ends of draperies or portieres.

In order for draperies and portieres to hang properly from their rods, cranes, brackets or other supports, it is essential that the hooks from which they hang be uniformly applied with respect to the top edge thereof, for instance. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a drapery hook applier that, by employing the upper end or edge of a drapery panel or the like or any other reference edge, is adapted to apply a plurality of such hooks in a desired uniform manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drapery hook applier that can apply hooks of different size.

A further object of the invention is to provide an applying tool of the character referred to that embodies ialdjustable gauge means to guide the application of a ook.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description merely describes, one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

. In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the present drapery hook applier in the process of aifixing a hook to the upper or head end of a drapery panel or the like.

1 Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of the tool, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the tool handle as seen from the end opposite to Fig. 2 and showing, in position thereon, a drapery hook differing in form from the hook shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar end view showing a third form of hook operatively engaged with the handle.

The drawing shows the three sizes of conventional drapery hooks at present in common use. The hook 5, for offset application, is wider than the hook 6, said hooks being otherwise similar in size and general proportions, each having a pin or point 7 and a bight with a narrower rounded junction portion. It will be noted that the increased Width of hook is a result of a bend 8 which is not present in the hook 6. The hook 9 is substantially smaller than either of the hooks 5 or 6 and generally follows the form of hook 6. Said hook 9 is of smaller wire than hooks 5 and 6 and has a point 7, also.

Fig. 1 shows the head 10 of a drapery panel, the same being usually provided with pleats 11 in suitable transverse spacing. It is the common practice to apply the drapery hooks at, or immediately adjacent to, the seam 12 of each such pleat. The location of the hook with respect to the end or edge 13 of the head 10 determines the hanging height of such panel. It is the purpose of the present applier to affix all of the hooks, required by the panel, at the same distance from the edge 13. i

The applier that is illustrated comprises, generally, a handle 14 provided at each end thereof with grooves 15 to receive one of the hooks 5, 6 and 9, a gauge arm 16 selectively connected to one end or the other of said handle to extend normally to the handle, and an adjustable gauge 17 carried by said arm.

The handle 14 is of generally elongated form and is adapted to be grasped in the manner shown so that one end thereof extends laterally from the hand grasping the same. One end 18 of said handle is so shaped, and provided with a groove 15, that the same is adapted to receive a drapery hook 5 in such manner that the point '7 of said hook is directed transversely to the length of the handle. The other end 19 of said handle is so shaped, and provided with a groove 15, that the same is adapted to receive either of the drapery hooks 6 or 9, as the case may be. Regardless of which hook is mounted on handle 14, the point 7 thereof is directed transversely.

In this case, the opposite ends of the handle are reversely formed, i.e., one end is upside down with respect to the other. Thus, for grasping by the right hand, the handle is turned end for end to bring that groove 15 desired to hold hooks to the left, as shown in Fig. 1.

6 The face of the handle is formed and blended, as

shown, to provide a smooth grasping surface between the differently shaped ends 18 and 19. As shown best in Fig. 1, adjacent each said end and on the edge that is engaged by the loop of the hook, the handle is provided with seats or recesses 20 that enter transversely into the handle. Each said recesses has a set screw 21 associated therewith.

The gauge arm 16 is shown as a length of flat stock that, by being formed with an obtuse bend 22 so holds its end 23, in one of the recesses 20, that the arm, generally, has a shallow angle with relation to the general plane of the handle. This condition is best seen in Fig. 2 and results in a canted position of the handle with respect to the plane in which the arm 16'resides. A longitudinal slot 24 is provided in said arm.

The gauge 17 is shown as a plate 25 that has flatwise engagement with arm 16 and is provided with side flanges 26 to form a channel in which arm 16 resides. Thus, said plate 25 may be slid along the arm and is guided by the flanges 26. A depending gauge piece 27 extends from said plate and stands transversely to the length of arm 16. A clamp screw 28 is carried by plate 25 and extends through slot 24, the same releasaoly clamping the gauge 17 to the arm 16 in any desired adjusted position therealong.

In use, after the tool is assembled as in Figs. 1 and 2 and a hook is placed in the groove 15 that is adjacent to the gauge arm, the pleat 11, beneath where said hook is to be applied, is gripped by the fingers of the left hand. Now, by holding the handle 14 in the right hand and bringing the gauge piece 27 against the edge 13 of the head 10, the point 7 of the hook may be moved down to penetrate the fold of said head, and, with a movement of the tool toward the edge 10 while, at the same time, turning the handle so as to cause said point to first penetrate the fabric and then move parallel thereto, the hook is afiixed to the drapery panel in exact desired spaced relationship to edge 13. It is immaterial that, during such turning movement of the tool, the gauge piece loses contact with the edge 13 because once the Patented Nov. 3, 1959 point penetrates the fabric, the location of the hook in arm 16 and the gauge 17 thereon are moved to the other end of the handle; nor is there any change in function when the different hooks disclosed are used, provided similar hooks are supplied for afiixing to the drapery head.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illusti'ated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A drapery hook applier comprising an elongated handle provided, adjacent at least one end, with a hookholding groove to present the point of a hook transversely to the length of the handle, a gauge arm extending from said handle and from a point adjacent said groove, and a gauge carried by said arm and adjustable t'herealong relative to said point of a hook in said groove.

2. An applier for drapery hooks formed of wire lying in a single plane into a bight comprising, a free arm and a connected arm spaced substantially a given distance with a portion of the bight tapering to a junction and a hook formed by said connected arm and a third arm having a pointed end and lying along the connected arm, said applier comprising an elongated handle with a rounded narrow edge and a wider edge, and sides extending from the rounded narrow edge to the wider edge conforming in cross-section to the shape of such bight, the arm having a hook-holding groove extending substantially perpendicular to said edges adjacent one end of the handle recessed from said sides and narrow edge to present the point of a hook transversely to the length of the handle, and a gauge arm extending from said narrow edge of said handle adjacent said groove.

3. An applier for drapery hooks formed of wire lying in a single plane into a bight comprising, a free arm and a connected arm spaced from each other a predetermined distance with a portion of the bight curving to a junction of said arms and a hook formed by said onn'ected arm and a third arm having a pointed end and lying along the connected arm, said applier comprising an elongated handle 'with a rounded first edge with a wider second edge, and sides extending from the rounded first edge to the second edge and substantially conforming in cross-section to the shape of such bight, the arm having a hook-holding groove transverse to the edges of the handle adjacent one end of the handle recessed from said 'sides and first edge to present the point of a hook transversely to the length of the handle, and a gauge arm extending from said first edge of said handle adjacent said groove along a plane making an obtuse angle with the plane of the side of the handle.

4. An applier for drapery hooks of two different sizes, each formed of wire lying in a single plane into a bight comprising, a free arm and a connected arm spaced in the case of one hook a first given distance and in the case of the other hook a second given distance, in either case with a portion of the bight curving to a junction and the hook formed by said connected arm and a third arm having a pointed end and lying along the connected arm, said applier comprising an elongated handle with a first rounded edge and a second edge, and sides extending from the rounded edge, each extending from a narrower to a wider end for enabling a stronger grip to be taken on the handle by fingers of the hand of an operator and for causing the cross-sections at the ends of the handle to conform substantially to the shapes of such drapery hook bights of different sizes, the handle having a hook-holding groove adjacent each end transverse to the edges of the handle recessed from said sides and first edge to present the point of a hook mounted in one groove or the other transversely to the length of the handle.

5. An applier for drapery hooks of two different sizes, each formed of wire lying in a single plane into a bight comprising, a free arm and a connected arm spaced in the case of one hook a first given distance and in the case of the other hook a second given distance, in either case with a portion of the bight curving to a junction and the hook formed by said connected arm and a third arm having a pointed end and lying along the connected arm, said applier comprising an elongated handle with a first rounded edge and a second edge, and sides extending from the rounded edge, each extending from a narrower to a wider end for enabling a stronger grip to be taken on the handle by fingers of the hand of an operator and for causing the cross-sections at the ends of the handle to conform substantially to the shapes of such drapery hook bights of different sizes, the handle having a hook-holding groove adjacent each end transverse to the edges of the handle recessed from saidsides and first edge to present the point of a hook mountedin one groove or the other transversely to the length of the handle, and a gauge arm extending transversely to the handle along a plane forming an obtuse angle with .the intersection of the end of the handle with the side surface thereof.

6. An applier for drapery hooks formed of wire into a bight and a hook lying in a single plane, the bight comprising, a free arm and a connected arm spaced a predetermined distance with a portion of the bight curving to a junction and the hook formed by said connected arm and a third arm having a pointed end lying along the connected arm, said applier comprising an elongated handle with a rounded first edge and a second edge, and sides extending from the rounded edge to the second edge conforming in cross-section to the shape of such bight, the arm having a hook-holding groove transverse to the edges of the handle adjacent one end of the handle recessed from said sides and first edge to present the point of a hook transversely to the length of the handle when the bight is inserted in said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,789,287 Lambert Apr. 23, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 212,898 Switzerland Dec. ,31, 1940 

